Industrial microbiological vegetal retting process by pectic aerobic microbes in a gas-current.



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mnos'reamt MIcnoBI'oLoeIoaL vEcisTAL Iterative rito'onss BY rno'rrc AEROBIO ivzrcnorehs IN A GAS-CURRENT.

No Drawing."

Specification of Letters Patent. Patehted Nov w, 1910. -Application filed April a; 19cc. Serial so. scares.

Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GIACOMO Rossr, a SllbJQCt of the King of Italy,'residing at Portici, Naples, Italy, professor at the In stitute of Agricultural Bacteriologyof Portici. have invented a certain new and useful industrial Microbiological Vegetal Rotting Process by Poetic Aerobic Microbes in a, Gas-Current. I

The'vegctal rotting process forming the subject matter of the present invention is based on the discovery that a gas current is able to regulate and increase the retting eiiect of pectic aerobic microbes,hitherto held to be ineffective for agricultural and industrial purnoses,so as to make its eitect industrially utilizable.

My new process comprises the following steps: The vegetals or parts or fragments of vegctals to be rotted are previously cleaned by washing and then put into suitable vessels, whereupon after they have been, or not, pasteurized. or sterilized, a quantity of water, in which eventually CaCO may be suspended, is poured in, sutlicient to cover them entirely. The whole is then left to itself or, according tothe kind of material to be rettecl or the degree of rotting desired, is pasteurized,boiled or sterilized. The vesis provided with a suitable device. perniitting of having an air or other suitable gas current to pass continiiously or nearly continuously for the whole time of rettinw throughout the entire heightof the liquid therein contained. Before the gas reaches tie rotting it is caused to pass through asuitable sterilizator, f. i. a tubefilled with sterilized cotton-wool, or similar material. 'ihe vessel is tightly closed by a cover. Through an inlet,-equally capable of being i 'itly closed,--a suitable quantity of bacilliculture of a pectic aerobic microbe is pour-ed into the vessel, such as Bacillus cement-roses, B. lemme 2 2 i roast, ct mom, If. pvrtz'm s was! at cav'bonc, B. mac-crime SKJZI jl/(Z/l'llfl/L'), 1;. (112886711. 50218) ouiguus Fliiuuc) iii/ uid, I). n ece/'1' rims Zed/moan ncumrmn, Z3. mescatcricus rather gZobz'g, subtz'lie F. 007m, streptoi'firim-ciiromoy mm' oils airing. itac'iilus (lair/M1201 us (lileycr) mfg Mu," B. carat/moms Jones, hiariniefs bacillus, Spieckermanns bacillus,-and if the said baciliiculture, as mentinned above, was heated, it must be pre viously cooled down and treated with the utmost antiseptic precautions. Thereupon the inlet is closed and a gas current, as stated above, is passed through the contents of the vessel. It will also be advantageous to keep the rotting liquid at theiheginning and during, the whole time at a temperature as near as possible to that which forms the optimum for the retting microbe used, and to keep the space in which the retting is effected during the whole time of retting' at an analogousjeinperature. It will also be advantageous to provide the vessel with a lateral tightly closing tube capable of being closed and opened without interfering With the asepsis of the vessel, and communicating with its interior from which-samples may be taken from time to time in order to ascertain the degree of retting of the contents of the vessel.

The rotting may be completed in a time from 3 to 20 days, according to the material under treatment and the degree of rotting desired, By the above said samples the proper time may be always ascertained, when the operation is to be interrupted, being completed. As soon as this is the case the vessel is opened and the retted material is taken out of some.

For agricultural and industrial purposes and uses the rettin vessel may also be uncovered or provided with an ijintight cover, and furthermore the pipes or tubes for pour ing in the bacilliculture or taking S3111 'ples may as well be omitted, and the said operations may be effected directly through theopenlng of the vessel. SieI'1l1Zt\t1OI1 ot the gas to be passed through the rotting liquid may also be dispensed witlnas the pectic microbes being 111 their best conditions of existence are able to conquer the other microbes 'eXlStlII 1n the rotting vessel or. introducing themselves in thesarne from the atinosphere, the gas current, etc.

For certain textile fibers such as ran'ne, etc, it may also be advantageous to cone pletc by an energetic physio mechanic Washis to be performed, what I claim filldilefilfi. to protect by Letters Patent of the Lmted States, is:-

The above described vegetal reating procvv ess comprising cleaning the vegetals, lnserting same 111120 suitable tight, vessels pouring a oacillicuiiure of a pectic aeroblc mlcrobe into the vessel, and passing a purified gas current through the vegeta ls and liquid in m the Vessel, the temperature at which Lhe rob 1 ting process is eflected corresponding much as possible to the optimum of the conditions of life of the microbe used.

In testimony whereof 1 have aflirzod my signature in presence of two witnesses;

GIACOT "3 H0551.

Witnesses RAG Amslmo GLILARDI, COLOMBA GACCHINI. 

